As I look back on 2012, I am amazed and proud of all that we have accomplished at the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN). It was a year of significant progress toward our mission to engage, educate, and empower all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.

North Carolina is known for its rich agricultural history. Eastern North Carolina, in particular, remains steeped in the rural traditions that have built a long-standing relationship with good food, agriculture, land and cultural identity. While across America, there is a widespread belief that young people are becoming more and more disconnected from the traditions, in a recent trip to Goldsboro, NC, it was refreshing to see that notion dissolve into a myth. I had the opportunity to visit with several young folks who are determined to keep those traditions alive and thriving.